NEW YORK - The Columbia cross country team has two races on deck for this weekend, with the Paul Short Run taking place at Lehigh on Friday, and the Princeton Inter-Regional Meet scheduled for Saturday.
Paul Short Run
The Columbia men will be among 40 teams taking part in the "Brown" race at Lehigh's Paul Short Run, while the women will be amont 44 teams also in the "Brown" race on Friday. A season ago, the men's team also competed in the Paul Short Run, taking 10th place out of 42 teams in the "Gold" race.
Princeton Inter-Regional Meet
On Saturday, the cross country teams will return to Princeton for the first time since the 2014 Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. Three returners had solid outings on that day, when Olivia Sadler earned first team All-Ivy League honors for the women, Leila Mantilla claimed second team all-conference honors for the women, and Tait Rutherford claimed second team all-conference honors for the men.
Last Time Out
Both teams have had time off to improve after the first meet, back on Sept. 11. The men's and women's teams both took second place on that day at the Brother Jasper Invitational.
Sadler and Mantilla led the way for the women, helping the Lions to defeat every team except Cornell in the multiple-dual format. Sadler was fifth overall, finishing her 5K in 18:11.1, a mere .8 ahead of sixth place Mantilla in 18:11.9.
The men had a strong outing from many runners, claiming places six through 14 on the day. Spencer Haik was the first Columbia finisher, clocking a 19:19.2 in sixth place, shortly behind a contingent from Cornell in the top-5. Behind Haik in the top-15 were Aubrey Myjer (19:19.4), Brian Zabilski (19:19.6), Max Norris (19:19.8), Robert Napolitano (19:20.0), Rutherford (19:20.2), Ryan Thomas (19:23.4), Sam Ritz (19:26.2) and George Miao (19:31.4).
